P-15 Pivot bolt

David Kautz (david_kautz@hp.com)
Mon, 08 Mar 1999 10:22:11 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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I think the centerboard pivot bolt on the Tilly Lucy is leaking. Before
I took my centerboard out (and I had to beat on it pretty hard to get
the rusted up thing out) to be galvanized, the bilge on my boat was
always completely dry. I've been sailing twice (Angel Island and the
Estela, both all day affairs) since putting the boat back together and
each time I've had to take out about 2 quarts of SF Bay afterwards. What
makes me think it's the pivot is I'm getting water in the bilge in FRONT
of the CB as well as behind it. Water that comes up through the CB trunk
looks like it has to end on the cushions or in the aft part of the
"keel" after running down the liner.

Has anyone on the list ever taken this apart? I did see Harry's P-14
when it was in pieces (good testimonial for galvanizing), but the design
is very different. On mine, what looks like a bolt when viewed through
the slot (you can see some threads) is fiberglassed over with some
chopped-strand mat on both sides of the centerboard trunk. The bolt can
be "wiggled" so I'm quite sure that there isn't a watertight seal
anymore between the bolt and the centerboard trunk and I suspect that
some water (about half a pint per hour) is leaking through a crack or
opening in the "glassing over".

I'd like to rebuild this making sure that there is a good seal between
the pivot and the inside (water side) of the CB trunk. I don't like the
idea of water just sitting in the pockets formed by the glassing over of
the pivot.

I'd appreciate advice on what lurks under that fiberglass covering and
any improvements that might be made - I'd like to do this RIGHT so that
I only have to do it ONCE!

Thanks,

Dave Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA